California Clapper Rail (1 Viewer)

"Much of taxonomy is arbitrary, designated by subjective interpretations of morphological and/or genetic differences based on the investigator’s favored species concept. In the field of conservation of endangered species these taxonomic designations have tangible effects pertaining to the availability of funds, public interest, and conservation priority. King and Clapper rails are widespread, secretive marsh birds. They are similar morphologically and have a parapatric distribution extending thousands of kilometers along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. The morphologically distinct rails of California are designated as subspecies of Clapper Rails because they primarily inhabit salt marshes. We sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear DNA for both species and found that King and Clapper rails of the eastern United States are more closely related to each other than either is to the birds of California. Based on diagnosability, the California birds qualify as distinct species under the Phylogenetic Species Concept. They also qualify as distinct species using the comparative approach under the Biological Species Concept. They are currently protected under the Endangered Species Act but the elevation of taxonomic rank will considerably raise their profile."​